1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to buckles, and more particularly to a releasable buckle having a female receptacle member and a corresponding male latch member which provides a latch resistance force in opposition to and alignment with a loading force acting to remove the male latch member to thereby increase the holding strength of the buckle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Buckles typically include male and female connector members, one each connected to a free end of a strap, web belt or the like, to provide a connection between the two free ends of the straps. In order to connect the male and female members, the male member includes an engagement arm which is inserted within and releasably connected to the female connector member and can be engaged by a user to later disconnect the male and female connector members.
An example of such a buckle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,464 which substantially is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 and is assigned to the same assignee as the assignee herein. As FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate, the female connector member includes apertures formed in opposite side walls for engagement with shoulders of corresponding latch arms formed with the male connector member. Since the shoulders, however, are positioned on the outside surfaces of the latch arms and engage the side walls of the female connector member, the buckle is susceptible to failure during loading. Specifically, the typical load in the latch arms which acts to remove the latch arms from the female connector member substantially is directed along the longitudinal axis or center line "A" of each latch arm. The line "A" is slightly offset from the line "B" which is the line upon which the latch resistance or engagement force substantially is directed between the side walls of the female connector member and the shoulders on the outside surfaces of the latch arms. Accordingly, as FIG. 7 illustrates, during loading a torque develops between the latch arms and the female connector member which tends to cause inward rotation of the latch arms in the direction of arrow "C" which causes failure of the latch arms and/or release of the buckle.
It therefore would be desirable to provide a buckle having male and female connector members where the male member is releasably retained within the female member and provides increased holding by aligning the resistance and loading forces between the male and female members.